Guiding and locking means for m. c. b. couplings.



W. T. VAN BORN.

GUIDING AND LOOKING MEANS FOR M. 0. B. GOUPLINGS.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. T. VAN BORN.

- GUIDING AND LOOKING MEANS FOR M. c; B. GOUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APB.20, 1908.

PatentedApr. 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I as

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIIILIAM T. VAN BORN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GUIDING AND: LOCKING MEANS FOR M. C. B. COUPLINGS.

county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGuiding and Locking Means-for M. C. B. Couplings; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

With the development and rapid extensions of the interurban railwaysthroughout the country it is found necessary to interchange traflic andrun interurban cars at times over the steam road, and the interurbanroads heretofore have had a style of coupling for their particularservice which is not interchangeable withv couplings on the steam roadsof this continent which have adopted as standard a coupling which isknown as the J anney or M. O. B. type. Owing, however, to the fact thaton such roads curves are usually numerous, as compared with steam roadsand of comparatively short radius, the Janney or M. O. B. type ofcoupler as ordinarily installed on the steam roads is not suitable owingto the danger of uncoupling on curves and on such curves as occur it isexceedingly desirable and is absolutely essential that the drawheadsshall be carried on radius bars to permit the draft rigging as awhole toadapt itself as far as possible to the track construction and to avoidon short curves the excessive stress that would occur should the draftrigging be constructed and secured in place and from lateral swingbetween center sills as is usual with steam roads. For these reasonscouplers of the M. C. B. type have not proven satisfactory forinterurban roads, owing to the danger of the same uncoupling on sharpcurves.

With this in view, the object of my invention is to provide inconnection with drawheads of the M. O. B. type adapted to be attached tothe car by means of radius bars, a guiding and locking mechanism wherebythe utmost rigidity in longitudinal alinement is secured after couplingbut which permits the relative vertical movement of the couplingdrawheads due to inequalities in the track and also permits a slightrela- Specifica-tion of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1908.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

Serial No. 428,088.

tive movement longitudinally should the knuckles not fit accurately inthe drawheads in coupling.

It is also an object of the invention to afford a construction whichalthough affording the utmost freedom of movement relatively of thecoupled drawheads, yet rigidly engages the heads in longitudinalalinement, thereby insuring the mutual adaptation of the draft gears oftwo coupled cars on curves.

It is, of course, an important object of the invention to afiord aconstruction adapted to coact with the knuckles and drawheads of the M.C. B. type to positively insure an ef fective and rigid coupling notcapable of being uncoupled because of inequalities or curvatures in thetrack.

It is a very important object of this incurves as on a straight track.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and morefully pointed out and defined inthe appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of two drawheadsprovided with guides and locking mechanisms embodying my invention andshowing the same in coupled relation. Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing the drawheadsin the act of coupling. Fig. 4c is a transverse section taken on line-4- 1: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a modification showing the lugs cast integralwith the drawhead.

As shown in the drawings: A, indicates the center sills of cars providedwith draft riggings embodying my invention, and beneath which, as shownin Fig. 2, and rigidly secured to the center sills is a draft gear B, ofany preferred type adapted to be used wit-h a radius bar 0, but whichfor convenience is shown as the draft gear set forth in my prior patentNo. 749,888, for railway draft rigging, issued to me on the 19th day ofJanuary, 1904.. Said radius bar C, is rigidly connected at its forwardor outer end to the tail d, of a drawhead D, of the Janney or M. G. B.type, and which may conveniently be any of the well lmown couplers ofthis particular kind, provided, as

is usual, with knuckles cZcZ each adapted to interlock behind the otherwhen the draw heads are brought together in coupled relation. Integrallyconnected on the under side of each of said drawheads and somewhat backof the jaws of the drawheads are provided integral downwardly directedflanges or hangers (Z rZ which are parallel on their inner faces whichextend longitudinally the drawhead, and are provided on the outer sidewith bracing webs (Z which may be of any desired number. Said flangesextend for some distance below the drawheads, the distance, of course,depending in part upon the size and weight of the drawhead, and rigidlyengaged between the flanges on each of said drawheads are guide andlocking bars EE, of which, as shown, the guide bar E, is on the outerside of the drawhead or that on which the knuckle is pivoted, and ifoffset beyond the flange and thence is continued for a short distanceapproximately parallel with the portion of the bar engaged between theflanges, and the extremity 0 thereof is turned outwardly at an acuteangle with the major portion of the bar to afford a more or lessresilient guide. The locking bar E, continues approximately straightfrom said flanges, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and from a point near theknuckles when in coupled relation and approximately opposite theinclined end 6 of the guide bar E, is bent oppositely therefrom toafford an inclined guide surface 6', from which point the end 6 of saidbar extends forwardly to afford a part of the lock. Said guide andlocking bars may be of any suitable or necessary thickness and width,but conveniently are supported on said flanges sufficiently below theunder sides of the draw heads to permit a considerable range of verticalmovement of one drawhead relatively the other due to surfaceinequalities in the track or to other causes tending to produce verticalmovement of one drawhead relatively the other, the object being toafford a sufficient space between said bars and the under side of thedrawhead as to prevent the same ever contacting the opposite drawheadexcept under very extreme or abnormal conditions.

The operation is as follows: In coupling,

should the drawheads be in suitable alinement with the knuckles swungback or open, as shown in Fig. 3, the straight locking end 6 0f thelocking bar E, on one drawhead strikes within the corresponding extendedend a on the other complemental drawhead, the ends of said bars strikethe inclined faces e, each on the corresponding bar at approximately themoment that the knuckles are coming into mutual coupling relation, andserve to hold the drawheads into suitable alinement while coupling. Theknuckle of each consequently strikes the tail of the knuckle of theother, just as the locking ends 6 of said locking bars on each of saiddrawheads slides into the space provided therefor between said bars, asshown in Figs. I and 2. In this, the coupling position, the interlockingengagement of said guide and locking bar firmly hold the drawheads inpositive alinement under all conditions that may arise. Said bars act tobring the drawheads into alinement in coupling even though the heads beconsiderably out of alinement as the ears approach each other. When insuch coupled relation, it is obvious that the knuckles act as is usualfor couplers of the M. C. B. type to take the draft. Though from theusual construction of M. C. B. couplers the knuckles cannot well sustainthe powerful lateral stress 011 curves, this stress is maintained by thelocking bars, the locking ends of which are slidably engaged to resistany tendency whatever to spring the drawheads laterally out ofalinement. The locking bars, however, take no portion of the draft butpermit a slight relative movement longitudinally of the drawheads due toany slack in the draft riggings and particularly between the drawheads,and also permit the utmost freedom of vertical movement of one headrelatively the other, inasmuch as the locking ends 6 of the bars E, arefree to slide vertically as well as longitudinally and serve only as arigid lock from lateral stress.

When combined with the construction described, it is evident that M. C.B. drawheads serve admirably the purpose when secured on radius bars oron any of the types of draft gears heretofore used or likely to be usedon interurban or even urban cars. Of course, too, it is evident that ifdesired, instead of forged bars being rigidly bolted below thedrawheads, the locking and guiding bars may be cast integral with thedrawhead as shown at f-f', in Fig. 5 and may be differently placedwhether integral or non-integral and may be of any desired constructionand arrangement whereby the mutual interlocking ends or webs directedlongitudinally the draft gears are adapted to interlock each in acomplemental socket in or below the corresponding drawhead in such amanner as to permit of relative vertical movement and of relativelongitudinal movement, but of such a nature as to unite the drawheadsagainst lateral stress to render the same in that respect extremelyrigid. Such guide and locking bars may be used to great advantage onrolling stock for steam roads and other types of drawheads than M. C. B.drawheads may be provided with such locking means.

Though I have mentioned M. C. B. drawheads in the specification andclaims, I do not purpose limiting this application to such couplers onlyfor any type of coupler may be used and I am aware that various detailsof construction may be varied without departing from the principles ofmy invention.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a device of the class described thecombination with a drawhead of a longi .tudinally extended web below thedraw.-

head and a longitudinal socket parallel therewith, said webs and saidsockets on the respective heads being so arranged that the web of theone will interfit the socket of the other to rigidly lock the drawheadsfrom lateral play but permit freedom of vertical and longitudinalmovement.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a drawhead ofa longitudinally extended web below the drawhead and a longitudinallydisposed socket adjacent thereto, said webs and said sockets on therespective heads being so arranged that the web of each interfits thesocket of the other to rigidly lock the drawheads when in coupledrelation against lateral stress.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a drawhead ofa longitudinally extended forged web secured thereto below the same anda drawhead provided with a socket into which said web is adapted tointerfit.

4. In a device of the class described the combination with a drawhead ofa longitudinally extended forged web attached below the drawhead, asocket on the under side of each drawhead adapted to receive the web ofa complemental drawhead and inclined guides at the entrance to saidsocket.

5. The combination with an M. C. B. drawhead, of a locking bar rigidlysecured to and below the same affording a longitudinally extended web,an inclined guiding face and one wall of a longitudinal socket, a guidebar secured to the drawhead forming the other wall of the socket and theweb on one drawhead adapted to engage in the socket of another when theknuckles of said drawheads are in coupled relation and acting to lockthe drawheads in rigid alinement against lateral stress.

6. The combination with M. O. B. drawheads, of interlocking memberssecured to, and depending below the drawheads adapted to lock thedrawheads against lateral stress but to permit free longitudinal andvertical movement.

7. In combination wit-h an M. C. B. drawhead of longitudinal guide andlocking bars rigidly secured to and below the same, affording alongitudinally extended web, outwardly inclined guiding faces and alongitudinal socket between the bars, the web on one drawhead adapted toengage in the socket in the other when the knuckles of said drawheadsare in coupled relation and acting to lock the drawheads in rigidalinement against lateral stress but to permit free longitudinal andvertical play.

8. In combination with an M. C. B. drawhead of forged guide and lockingbars rigidly secured to and offset from the same, and aflording alongitudinally extended web, an inclined guiding face and a longitudinalsocket between the same, the web of one drawhead being adapted to engagein the socket of another when the knuckles of said drawheads are incoupled relation and acting to lock the drawhead in rigid alinementagainst lateral stress.

9. In combination with an M. C. B. drawhead, guide and locking barssecured thereto adapted to interfit corresponding guide and locking barson a complemental drawhead when the drawheads are in coupled relationand acting to hold the drawheads in alinement only.

10. A drawhead, longitudinally disposed forged guide and locking barssecured thereto adapted to interfit with corresponding guide and lockingbars on a complemental drawhead to hold the same in alinement when thedrawheads are in coupled relation.

11. The combination with a drawhead of longitudinally disposed guide andlocking bars secured thereto adapted to interlock with correspondingguide and locking bars on a complemental drawhead when the drawheads arein coupled relation and acting first to bring the heads into alinementfor coupling and to hold the same in alinement after coupling.

12. In a device of the class described an M. C. B. drawhead and aplurality of bars connected therewith below the same, one of said barsadapted to engage between the bars of a complemental drawhead when the105 drawheads are in coupled relation.

13. In a draft rigging the combination with a draft gear and radius barconnected therewith, a drawhead secured on the radius bar, to swinglaterally, downwardly extend- 110 ing flanges on said drawhead, guideand locking bars secured therebetween at their rear ends and free attheir outer ends and diverging to afford laterally projecting guideshaving a socket therebetween, one of 115 said bars being longer than theother and having a straight, longitudinally directed locking end,adapted when the drawheads are in coupled relation to interfitrespectively the locking end on one head and the 120 socket in theother.

14. In a draft rigging the combination with a draft gear and radius barconnected therewith of an M. C. B. drawhead secured on the radius bar toswing laterally of the 125 car, downwardly extending flanges on saiddrawhead, guide and locking bars secured therebetween at their rear endsand free at their outer ends and shaped to provide guides, a locking endand a socket therebe- 13c tween adapted when the drawheads are intherebetween, one of said bars being longer than the other and having astraight longitudinally directed locking end adapted when the drawheadsare in coupled relation to interfit respectively the locking end on onedrawhead in the socket in the other.

16. In a draft rigging the combination with the draft gear and a radiusbar connected therewith with an M. C. B. drawhead secured on the radiusbar to swing laterally, cast lugs extending downwardly from the drawheadand forged guide and locking bars secured to said lugs.

17. In a device of the class described the combination with a draft gearand radius bars connected therewith, of M. C. B. drawheads secured tothe radius bars, lugs secured to the drawheads, guide bars secured tothe lugs having their outer ends directed at an acute angle with theirattaching ends and locking bars secured to the lugs having their endsparallel and said locking bars inter-.

mediate the ends being angularly directed with the ends.

18. In a device of the class describedthe combination with drawheads,lugs secured thereto and coactin locking and guiding bars secured to thelugs providing vertical channels therebetween open at the top andbottom.

19. In a device of the class described the combination with drawheads,lugs secured thereto and coacting locking and guiding bars secured tothe lugs providing vertical channels therebetween open at the top andbottom, said locking bars having an inclined face intermediate the endsand the guiding bars having their outer ends angnlarly directed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. VAN DORN.

Witnesses:

C. W. HILLS, K. E. HANNAH.

